Telephone toll apparatus.



PATENTED NOV. 27, 1906. E. P. BAIRD. TELEPHONE TOLL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY ll 1903.

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E. P. BAIRD. TELEPHONE TOLL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1903.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. A

EDWARD 'IYBAIRD, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BAIRD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPO- RATION.

TE'LEPHQNE TOLL APPARATUS Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

Application filed Mayll. 1903. Serial No. 156,508.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. BAIRD, a resident of the city of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Toll Apparatus, of which the folconfusion therefrom; improved means which prevent deposition of a coin into the apparatus whilea coin remains in the coin-shifting mechanism; improved means for preventing deposition of a coin while the coin-shifting mechanism is out of normal position, so the coin would not gravitate into the coin-shifting-mechanism lmproved means for simultaneously closing all the coin-receiving slots in apparatus designedto receive coins of different denominations, and im roved means for retarding the movement 0 the coin-shifting means, so vibration of the apparatus sufficient to produce vibration of a sound-producing body which resembles the proper signal is impossible and, to improve the construction of toll apparatus for telephones.

With thesepbjects in view the invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth, and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus embodying the invention. Fig.2 1s a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the parts in position assumed when a coin has been deposited. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the slot-closure held in closed position by spring-arm which is "controlled by the carrier. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

A denotes an inclosing case of any suitable construction, which is usually secured to the back board of a telephone set, so audible signals produced therein will be clearly conducted over the telephone-line to the central exengage gong 18.

changel An operating-shaft 10 is journaled in the case, extends transversely across the case, and has an actuating handle or crank 11 on the outside of the case, and which is rigidly secured to a projecting terminal of said shaft. ers 12, 13, and 14, which are rigidly secured to theoperating-shaft, provide means for receiving and shifting coins or toll-representing checks of different denominations to respectively operate relatively distinctive signal devices. r

The case is provided with coin-receiving slots 15, 16, and 17, wherethrough coins can be deposited into each of the carriers. Each carrier when shifted'with a coin of proper size and denomination operates a, signal device. The signal devices are distinctive from each other, so the exchange operator can ascertain the denomination of the coin or check which has been deposited. Carrier 12 is designed to shift a coin to cause actuation of a gong 18, carrier 13 causes vibration of a flexible strip or buzzer 20, and carrier 14 causes actuation of a bell 21. Each carrier is provided with a suitable channel 23, wherein a coin of proper size will be held by a stop 22 and is notched or cut away, as at 24, to expose a portion of a coin for engagement with the operating part of a signal-actuating device. Coins or slugs which are too smal to be held in the carriers fall through coinchannels 23 and into a runway 25, which conducts them to the outside of the case and refunds them. Carrier 12 will shift a coin to sweep against an arm 26 of a spring pressed lever 27, pivotally sustained by cross-rod 28 and provided with a hammer 29, adapted to Carrier 13 sweeps a coin held therein over the free flexible terminal of strip 20, and carrier 14 shifts a coin to operate alever (not shown) similar in construction to lever 27 and in similar manner actuates bell 21. A spring-pressed pivoted do 28 prevents retraction of each carrier unt' the coin has been discharged. Each carrier shifts a coin so it will first operate one of the A series of coin carriers or shift close the coin-receiving slots.

' coin in transit to the carriers.

Patent No, 678,6 33, dated July 16, 1901, and for a fuller descriptionthereof reference may be had to said patent.

In the present'invention all of the carriers are preferably shifted bya single actuatingcrank 11 to simplify the construction and to avoid the use of separate retracting means, such as a spring for each carrier. To prevent simultaneous shift of several coins by the carriers and simultaneous actuation of a plurality of the signal devices, all of the coin-receiving slots are obstructed by a valve 30, formed of a plate extending transversely across the case in back of said slots, pivotally sustained at 31 and having forward extensions 32, adapted to obstruct the passage of coins int-o esaid slots. with a plurality of inclined fingers 33, arranged, respectively and normally, in the path of coins passing into each of the carriers and adapted to be deflected by a coin in transit to the carrier sufliciently to oscillate the valve and hold extensions 32 in position to A weighted arm 53 holds the valve normally in openposition. Seen in Fig. 1.)- A spring 34, secured to the case at 35, has a part 36, which normally engages one of the carriers, and a terminal 37, adapted to engage the upper end. of the valve and overcome the force of weight 53 to close slots 15, I6, and 17 immediately upon shift of the carriers or any part of the coin-shifting mechanism. V lve 30 is nor mally relieved of the pressure of spring 34, so the'valve is free to be held by weight 33 only and will respond sensitively to a gravitating Fingers 33 efl'ect closure of all of the coin-receiving slots when a coin is deposited into either of the .carriers. Spring 34 effects closure of said slots when the coin-shifting mechanism 'is operated and the coin-channels of the carriers are displaced from normal position and are out of registry with the coin-receiving slots.

In practice it has been found that attempts are made to produce vibrationof the soundyielding bodies which sometimes suflice to deceive the enchange'operator by forcibly shift ng the com-shifting mechanism and ac- ;tuatmg-crank into its extreme positions, or

until the shifting mechanism engages themeans wlnch are provided for limiting thetravel of the crank and carriers. To render such attempts futile, the movement of the coin-shifting mechanism in both directions is retardedby a. pneumatic cushion'which com- I prises a cylinder 40, and a (piston 41, traveling to a piston-rod 42 1n the cylinder and secure which is pivotally connected by a in 43 with one of the carriers of the coin sl ing mechanis'm. A leak-port 44 serves as a restricted'outlet and inlet for air. The cylinder has its lower end secured to a sleeve-45, which is pivotally sustained by a cross-rod 46, se-

Valve 30 is provided cured. in-the side walls of the case, and in such manner that the cylinder and iston will be positioned in accordance with tile relative osition of pin 43, which moves in a curved path, and cross-rod 46. A spring 47', having its lower end connected with sleeve 45 and its upper end with pin 43, restores to and retains in normal position all of the coinshifting "mechanism. The cushion retards the movement of said mechanism in both directions, and the positive connection with the movable element of the cushion so retards the movement of the crank-handle and car'- riers that it is impossible to produce material vibration of sound-yielding bodies by rapid movement of the parts, which are shiftable The particular construction and connecadditional coin into any of the slots until the valve 30 is again released. Finger 33 rests against a coin in the carrier and holds valve 30 in closed position until the carrierisshifted. The depositor will then operate crank 11 to shift the coin and operate the corresponding signal-device and then discharge the coin from the carrier into the chamber within the'case. Before the coin in the carrier moves out of engagement with finger 33 spring'34 is released by the carrier and presses the valve 30 into position to hold the valve in closed position until the coin-shifting mechanism is restored to normal position after discharge of the coin. Weight 53 will then restore the valve to normal position after retraction of An important advantage of the invention is that al coin-receiving slots are closed when a coin has been deposited and also when the coin-carriersare out of normaLpositions and when the device is rendered inoperative by tion or in event an irregular coin or slug secures the coin-shifting mechamsm against retractlon. The valve and its operating failure of a carrier to retain its normal posithe coin-shiitingmechanism, and the device parts are so constructedthat it will res 0nd 3 is to be understood as including all tokens or checks as well as coins. I

Having thus described the invention, what to a gravitating coin. The parts Whic are I I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a telephone toll apparatus, a casing having a coin-slot therein, a coin-shifting means in said casing, and means operated by the insertion of a coin to prevent the insertion of another coin into the coin-slot while said coin is engaged with the coin-shifting means.

2. In a telephone to'll apparatus, a plural-' ity of coin-shifters each having a coin-slot communicating therewith, and means for closing all of said slots against the deposit of a coin by the insertion of a coin in any one of said coinshifters.

3. In a telephone toll apparatus, a plurality of coin-shifters each having a coin-slot communicating therewith, a common actuating-handle for said shifters, and means for closing all of said slots against the deposit of a coin when said carriers are out of normal position or by the insertion of a coin in any one of said coin-shifters.

4. In a telephone toll apparatus, a plurality of coin-shifters each havinga coin-slot communicating therewith, a common actuating-handle for said coin-shifters, a pivoted valve common to all of said coin-slots, and fingers on said ,valve, one for each coin-slot, constructed and arranged to engage a coin in its shifter to move said valve to close all of said coin-slots against ingress of coins thereto.

5. In a telephone toll apparatus, a coinshifter having a coin-slot communicating therewith, and a slot-closure operated by the deposit of a coin in the coin-shifter to prevent the insertion of another coin while said coin-shifter is occupied.

6. In a telephone toll apparatus, a coin- 7. A telephone toll apparatus having acoin-receiving slot, and comprising coinshifting mechanism, a slot-closure adjacent to said slot normally held in open position, means engaged by the coin for shifting said closure when a coin is deposited, and means controlled by the coin-shifting mechanismfor shifting the closure.

8. In a telephone toll apparatus having a coin-receiving slot, and comprising coinshifting mechanism, a slot-closure adjacent to said slot normally held in open position, and a yielding arm for shifting said closure when the coin-shifting mechanism is operated.

9. A telephone toll apparatus having a coin-receiving slot, and comprising coinshifting mechanism, a slot-closure adjacent to said slot normally held in 0 en position, a finger controlling said slot-cosure and arranged to be shifted by a coin, and a yielding arm arranged to shift said closure when the coin-shifting mechanism is operated.

, EDWARD P. BAIRD, Witnesses:

FRED GERLAGH, LILA WARTERFIELD. 

